S01 E05 - The Mottled Fur of Rage Part 1

Synopsis
The Dames are back with another mini-adventure from In Volo's Wake and things get pretty hairy (and fleshy). Sildar Hallwinter has another missing persons case for the Dames, but this time, IT'S PERSONAL.

Back in Halfway
The Dames head to the Crooked Forest by way of Halfway. Their first stop is the Come Butte Inn; it's closed but Lyta Rollings is nearby and invites them in. Lyta gives the Dames their reward for finding Lord Eric Merryweather: gold pieces and a potion of healing. She also provides them a bit of history about Halfway and herself. Lyta notes that her grandmother, Melyta Silversong, was a bard and used to tell tales of the Sistren Circle, who the Dames show interest in. Lyta notes she may be able to find a book on them that her grandmother had written.

Lyta pours the Dames a quick drink and gifts Riot Bonezerker some bleu cheese. Riot produces the sketch of Winter Hallwinter to see if Lyta has seen her, and, while Lyta recognizes her as Sildar Hallwinter's daughter, she says she hasn't seen her recently. The Dames confide in Lyta that Winter has gone missing along with three of her friends. Lyta suggests they should make their way into the forest and makes sure they know they are invited back for a drink; she pays special attention to Riot. It seems as though a flame may be igniting between Lyta and Riot.

Into the Forest
Rose Lao once again trips on her way into the forest and Nevar Moor helps her back up. The forest has changed its appearance again but it is still thick with trees, shrubs, herbs, and wildflowers. They follow the path the forest has created until it narrows and they spot a bloody green ribbon seven feet up on a nearby branch beside some claw marks. After investigating, they notice that there is a trail of ribbons along the trees, going higher as they progress into the forest.

Nevar sends Quoth up into the trees to investigate further. He sees hunter gnolls, witherlings, and a flesh gnawer standing on platforms and scaffolding. After bringing Quoth back, Nevar hears the same chilling laughter she heard in her dream. Riot looks for a ladder but finds the trees reaching out toward her so the Dames use the tree branches to climb their way upward. As they ascend, an arrow just misses Riot, hitting a nearby tree. It is decorated with a garland of ears and teeth. When they reach the first platform, the Dames are hit with the smell of fresh corpses and see a pile of bones with rusted armor. Then they hear the scream of a young girl, which Nevar also remembers from her dream, followed by a roar. Tracing the roar to the source, they can see a gnoll forcing a young dwarf into a cage made of bones and wood.

Before they have a chance to react, Riot is hit by an arrow. She runs toward the witherling that hit her and swings her glaive at it in response. They continue in combat until they take care of all the gnolls on their platform. Rose breaks the tether to the cage on the platform they have just cleared, freeing one of Winter's dwarven friends, Grace. The trees help bring Grace down to the ground. With one child saved, the Dames turn back to the other platforms to save the remaining children from the gnolls but are immediately faced with the flesh gnawer.

PCs

 * Nevar Moor played by Essie Hollman
 * Riot Bonezerker played by Jen Vaughn
 * Rose Lao played by Meris Mullaley

NPCs

 * Grace, Dwarf
 * Lyta Rollings

Visited

 * Crooked Forest
 * Gnoll Encampment
 * Halfway
 * Come Butte Inn

Quotes

 * "Good news is I'm shorter than some, so I don't have to fall as far." - Rose Lao (23:59)

Trivia

 * This is the first episode the Sistren Circle is mentioned.